LaFrance officially wins Anchorage mayor’s office following Assembly certification

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Suzanne LaFrance was officially certified as the next mayor of Anchorage on Friday following a special Anchorage Assembly meeting.

With the runoff race certified, LaFrance also became the first elected female mayor of Anchorage, and thanked the elections team and the voters of Anchorage for what the municipal elections director deemed a “smooth” election.

“I’m looking forward to working with all of you on a smooth and productive transition, and very excited for what’s ahead for our community,” LaFrance said at Friday’s special meeting.

LaFrance won with 42,597 votes to the 36,961 for incumbent Dave Bronson, who will cede the office three years after beating former Assembly member Forrest Dunbar in the 2021 race.

This year’s election saw a stout 33.46% turnout rate, which Municipal Elections Director William Northrop said was the third-highest turnout for Anchorage voters since the Assembly went to a vote-by-mail system, only behind the 2019 and 2021 elections.

Northrop also said that the amount of rejected ballots also went down — from a rate of 1.86% in 2021 to 1.76% this year.

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